73 Luxor - Jiddah
25. Feb 2010
I spend a full day in Luxor sightseeing. For about $30 I got a taxi for the day, and early in the morning I went to Karnark to beat the crowds that comes in dozens and dozens of buses. Karnark is a fabulous temple complex and after spending time here I went back to the hotel for a swim. Then in the early afternoon, I was off to the Valley of the Queens and Valley of the Kings to see 4 different Tombs etc. – truly amazing.
They were really into “graffiti” in Egypt some 4000 years ago – it was everywhere. Chiseled and painted into any rock surface around!
In the evening I went to Luxor Temple, looking great all lit up. An I also managed to have time for a visit to Luxor Museum, where I saw a few mummies and sculptures.
Next morning it was back to Luxor airport, to meet my “handler”, who escorted me through immigration and passport control, and then to the bank, so he could get the 565 US dollars he cared to charge me for his trouble. He had told me the day before I could pay by credit card – but the terminal did not work!! After wasting half an hour, I had to pay in cash – I guess the money then doesn't have to declared by the handling company?
At least the bus trip from the terminal back to the plane was included in the price but then I had to wait 20 minutes for the fuel truck guys to get a ladder for them to reach the tanks in the wings of the Cessna - and then the meter on the truck did not work.
Fortunately, I knew pretty much how much fuel I could take, so I could agree with their guestimate, as it corresponded with my calculations. I also got a 5 gallon (20 liter) Jerry can filled, so heavily loaded I was ready for take off.
I had asked the handler, who filed the flight plan, to ask for a VFR departure so I could fly along the Nile to Aswan, but the approved flight plan I received, took me direct to DEDLI, the waypoint on the border to Saudi Arabia FIR (air traffic control border).
I did not bother to ask the ATC again, so I went on my way along R775.
Getting closer to Jeddah, I got vectored to the ILS to runway 16L – but the ILS was not operative. That was no problem though, as I pretty much can fly it on the GPS - but it was also CAVOK, so I could see the runway a long way out. I got vectored behind a 747 and was kindly asked, what distance I wanted behind it. You must be careful landing behind a heavy aircraft, as down wash from it, can remain on the runway for up to 5 minutes after the heavy aircraft has landed!
I touched down without problems and taxied around most of the airport, before I finally reached apron 16 – the general aviation apron. There was no one there to meet me, so I found a spot where I could tie the aircraft down.
I decided to try to transfer fuel from one of the ferry tank to the wing tank – but I had to give it up, as the “Goose Neck” pump did not fit into the neck of the ferry tank well enough for it to work – the principle being, that air is pumped into the tank in order to get the fuel flowing out.
I got my gear out, and started walking to the terminal building – but before getting there I was met by a car, and the driver told me, that it was not allowed for me to walk to the terminal. I got a ride with him the last 100 meters and went through the arrival entrance etc. – but then I was told, I could not do that! I had to get a handler, and go back to the plane so a custom official could inspect it!
Having done that, I could return to the terminal again, and after half an hour waiting, I had permission to stay in the country for 12 hours! The handler, Arabasco, kindly offered me a ride in a beaten up bus for the 10 minute trip to the hotel - for only about 60 US dollars!
I usually try to find a hotel I the center of a city, but this time I got it wrong – the view from the window was to a road with 10 lanes of traffic, and the other side of the hotel was to a bleak shopping complex.
So I decided to get going relatively early the next morning –getting a taxi for a third of the price, I paid for the bus the night before.
